Handful of post offices to stay open late for taxes

A handful of Bay Area post offices will stay open late today to allow last minute tax filers to turn in their paperwork.

The tax day lines at most post offices have shrunk in recent years because more people are filing their taxes online, according to U.S. Postal Service officials.

Most post offices will maintain normal hours today, but for those who need to get that last-minute postmark, extended hours are available at the main post offices in San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland and Salinas, as well as at the Airport Station at 660 West Field Road in San Francisco and at the North Bay P&DC at 1150 McDowell Blvd. in Petaluma.

The San Francisco locations will be open until midnight, with both window and curbside locations. The San Jose and Oakland post offices will be open until 10 p.m., with both window and curbside service.

The Petaluma location will offer window service until 6 p.m. and curbside drop off from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., and the Salinas location will offer curbside service until 8 p.m.

Postal service officials do not encourage late filing, since it contributes to mistakes, including insufficient postage and incorrect mailing addresses. Postage is 46 cents for the first ounce, or about four pages, and 20 cents for each additional ounce.

If you're due a refund, Tuesday isn't much of a deadline at all.

Penalties for filing late Federal tax returns apply only to people who owe money.